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3?. BEBGEIM, F WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T6 E. I. I!) HEHGURS &: CGBIIPANY, 0F l/V'ILMINGTQN, DELAWARE, A CGEiPOZLfiZLIK Serial Key $3975.

PEDCESS 0F PEODUfiING EXELQSIVEE.

.l'lolfimwing. :lpplicatlon filed June 13, 1926.

My invention relates particularly ton for intruting al phatic oxides. It .1 21, however, especially to the nitrw t i oy means of which aliphatic oxides may be nitrated in un advantageous munner so es to avoid the disutlvuntnges hitherto iuherent in connection therewith. Previously,

1% ethylene oxide has been nitruteil to form an explosive oil L'Olllltlllllllg about 16% nitrogen,

by nitiutioi'i with nitric acid alone and subsequent preciiiitat-ion with sulphuric ucid (Carerman Patent No. 376,000 of 1923). The product obtained in accordance with said patent a mixture 01 glycol ilinitrute and nit-rated polymerization products of ethylene oxide.

Furthermore,-whcn ethylene oxide is nitratetl with mixed sulphuric and nitric acids there 20 is produced a mixture of solid and liquid products of low nitrogen content with little or no glycol dinitmte formed. These 01 nier processes consequei'itly disadvantageous. In the case oi dissolving ethylene oxide instrmig nitric acid there is considerable danger us the .e' ture oi an organic hotly with nitric acid plosive. Also, the ethylene oxide reacts violently with toe strong nitric acid, which so evol s a large iiniountoi heat.

I we found that the above disadvaniiges may e overcome by the use oi'e diu'ent, such, for example, as ethylene glycol or glycerol, one then nitruting the ethylene oxide with mixed nitric and sulphu 'ic acids.

The product thus obtained hes a high nitrogen content and is free from the solid nitrohociies ii hove referr eu to as being obtained from initiating ethylene oxide alone with 3 ed ecidsi While any invention capable of being carried out in many different ways, by Way of illustration I shall describe only certain Ways of carrying out my invention hereinafter,

For example, .l may use a mixture of from 2 to of ethylene oxide and 98 to 56% ethylene glycol, depending upon how high a nitrogen content is desired in the product,

inasmuch as the larger the percentage of glycol the larger the nitrogen content up to a point of 18.40% nitrogen.

all?

potentially at high e:;-.

The. two ineterials may he readily mixed in these proporlions us ethylene oxide is miscible with ethylene glycol in all proportions. For instance. in; l inuy use a mixture of ethylene glycol and 30% ethylene oxide, the some being added slowly to ii mixed acid contuinii'ig up I proximately 79 to 50%, but preferably 5@% of sulphuric acid, and 30 to 50%, but preferuhly 40% of nitric acid, the mixture being either anhydrous or containing not more then 10% of water. The nitrated ethylene oxide sppears as an oil on the surface of the acid and may be decanted therefrom and washed with u dilute alkaline solution coniprising, for example, a 5% solution of scale in waiter, to produce a neutral stable oil cepahle of use as a powerful explosive.- It is to he understood, also, that instead of the ethylene glycol and the ethylene oxide 1 may use similarly any other aliphatic oxide or oxides and any other glycol, Well mixtures of the some, for instance, prop 'lene oxide and a glycol. Also, instead of the L glycol above referred to I may use other polyhydroxy alcohols such as propylene glycol, butylene glycol and glycerol, inu'ividu ally or in mixtures containing the some.

An explosive product obtained shove e9 may he used alone es an explosive may form one of the ingredients of any one of the dynamite compositions known. One eztample of such compositions would be the following:

Per mu by wei ht. Nitruteii ethylene oxicle glycol mixture (as above) 20 Nitroglycerine :20 Sodium nitriiteu uofl 4 Wood meal Chalk"M c. lm l n; the above composition it is to he u; den stood that the niti'ut ed eti ylene oxizieglycol g5 mixture may be used to replace the. nitro glycerine us a whole or in part. Also, in stead. of the sodium nitrate other agents, such as potassium nityote uuioniuzn nitrate or potassium perchloil a, may he 3959 used. Furthermore, instescl oLthe wood pulp other carbonaceousyirotlucts'inuy he used, such as starch. Also, it will be understood. that. tlicfnitrstecl ethylene oxide glycol s mixture. may he used in any desired way for the making; oil the gelatin zlyniunites with 'nitrocotton, one example of which would be the following composition:

.It is to be understood that in all the above compositions the proportions may vary wide ly as to each and all of the ingredients, according to the particular uses to which the explosive is to be applied.

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that men changes may be n'nidc therein without eparting from the spirit of the same.

I claim: I

1. The process which comprises forming a nitrated aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide by nitrating an aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol;

2. The process which comprises forming a nitrated aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide and a nitrated polyhydroxy alcohol by nitrating an aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol.

c process which comprises forming a mtrated alkylene oxide-by nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol. I

4. The rocess which comprises forming a nitrate al lene oxide and a nitrated polyhydroxy a cohol by nitrating an alkyleno oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol.

' 'alkylene oxide I e. nitrsted alkylene oxide glycol by nltreting an alkylene oxide mixed nitrated elkylene oxide and 5. The process which comprises forming a nitrated alkylene oxide by nitrating an mixed with a glycol.

6. The process which comprises forming and a; nitrated with a glycol.

7. The process which comprises forming a nitrated alkylene oxide by nitrating an alkylene oxide'mixed with ethylene glycol.

8. The process which comprises liorming a a nitrated ethylone, glycol b nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with the ethylene glycol.

9. The process which comprises forming a nitreted aliphatic hydrocarbonoxide by nitrnting an aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy. alcohol, then decanting and washing the product with an alkaline solution.

10. The process which comprises formin a nitratcd aliphatic hydrocarbonoxide an a nitrated polyhydroxy alcohol by nitrating an aliphatic hydrocarbon oxide mixed with the polyhydroxy alcohol then decanting and washing the product with .an alkaline solution.\

11. The process which comprises forming a nitrated nlkylene oxide by nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol. then decanting and washing the product with an alkaline solution.

12. The process which comprises formin a nitrated alkylcne oxide and a nitratet polyhydroxy alcohol by nitrating an alkyl- .ene oxide mixed with a polyhydroxy alcohol,

then decanting and washing the product with an alkaline solution.

13. The process which comprises forming a nitrated alkylene oxide by nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with a glycol, then decanting and washing the product with an alkaline solution.

14. The process which comprises forming a nitrated alkylene oxide and a nitrated polyhydroxy alcohol by nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with a glycol, then decanting and. washing the product with. an alkaline solution.

15. The process which comprises forming a nitrated alkylene oxide by nitrating an alkylene oxide mixed with ethylene glycol, then decanting and washing the product with in alkaline solutionl 1.6. The process which comprises forming claim the foregoing, I

FRANK H. BERGEIM.

hand this 11 day of 

